Chennai, Dec 25 (IANS): A student of Anna University was allegedly raped by two men inside the campus early on Wednesday morning, police said.

The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kotturpuram, is investigating the case after an FIR was filed under Section 64 of the BNSS Act, which deals with rape cases.

According to police, the incident occurred when the girl and her male friend were sitting in a secluded area of the campus after attending a midnight Christmas mass at a nearby church. The accused attacked the male friend, brutally assaulting him before dragging the girl to nearby shrubs and raping her.

BJP state President K. Annamalai demanded the immediate arrest of the accused. "Tamil Nadu, under the DMK government, has become a breeding ground for unlawful activities and a haven for criminals. Women don’t feel safe in the State anymore, as the police are kept busy by the ruling administration to silence the opposition", he said in a post on X.

The Greater Chennai Police have come under severe criticism following the incident. Authorities had earlier claimed to have implemented foolproof security measures for Christmas celebrations, deploying over 8,000 personnel on duty.

Police sources said inquiries have been conducted with the survivor and her friend, and an investigation is underway.

This brutal incident comes amid ongoing criticism of the DMK government over the state’s law and order situation.

In a recent incident, a third-year college student with mental health issues was allegedly raped by a group of 10 men over a period of 10 months.

Four of the accused have been arrested so far.

The case came to light after the victim’s father, a single parent working as a load man, filed a complaint with the Chintadripet All Women Police Station, which was later transferred to the Egmore Police Station.

The father discovered obscene material on his daughter’s phone and questioned her about it. Initially evasive, the girl later revealed that she had been repeatedly raped by a group of men who took her to various lodges and other isolated locations.

Based on the survivor’s statement, police have registered a case under nine sections, including those dealing with the rape of women with mental or physical disabilities and kidnapping.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the survivor met three of the suspects through a mutual college friend in October last year. The men allegedly raped her at multiple locations. She also reported being assaulted by others she met via a social networking application.